Countless tractor-trailer trucks crisscross our country every day delivering just about everything we touch in our daily lives. Rapid, efficient, and highly cost-effective large “18-wheelers” have proved themselves to be highly versatile vehicles that can deliver just about anything just about anywhere.
A very common type of tractor-trailer truck that is often used to move large or bulky objects, such as PVC and metal pipe, steel cables, motors and generators, bulk materials and the like is the flatbed truck trailer. Flatbed truck trailers have a major advantage over other types of rigs in that they allow open access to three (3) sides of the truck trailer which makes loading and unloading relatively fast and simple and readily done by lifts, hoists, and cranes, as well as by various loading ramps.
Flatbed truck trailers have an additional advantage over other types of trucks in that the enable easy securing of loads, particularly odd-sized and/or top-heavy loads. Typically securing loads to a trailer bed is performed using one (1) or more straps. One (1) very common type of strap is the ratcheting strap. A ratcheting strap includes not only a strap but one (1) or more ratcheting mechanisms that provide a mechanical advantage which assists securely attaching the load to the trailer bed. Such ratcheting straps also include a release mechanism which removes the high attachment forces and which enables a ratcheting strap to be easy removed.
Ratcheting straps are usually designed to attach to D-rings. A trailer flatbed will have numerous D-ring stake tie downs that are distributed along the perimeter of the flatbed in mounting holes. For safety, the ratcheting straps should be attached perpendicular to the axis of the D-ring. Otherwise an off-axis attachment can cause a D-ring to fail or can cause the entire stake tie down to pull out of its mounting hole.
As a load is being tied down workers constantly reposition the ratcheting straps relative to the load. This necessitates climbing on and off the truck and truck bed, thereby exposing workers to possible falls and other injuries. In addition, constantly repositioning multiple ratcheting straps takes an inordinate amount of time, which translates into lost revenue and excessive downtime.
Accordingly, there exists a need for D-ring style stake tie-downs that automatically position themselves so that they properly accept ratcheting straps from any direction. Ideally, such stake tie downs would be safe and easy to use, would not require modification to existing flatbeds, and could be made available at relatively low-cost.